Next Generation Stun Guns?

RoyalCheese writes "Well, I've just been reading an interesting little article on New Scientist's website about new crowd control weapons that electrocute/stun the targets. Seems we will soon be at risk of being stunned by ionised air generated by laptop sized lasers..." Reader Spetiam adds "News.com.au reports on a new weapon that will be able to zap you from afar, wires not included: 'We will be able to fire a stream of electricity like water out of a hose at one or many targets in a single sweep,' XADS [Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems] president Peter Bitar is quoted as saying." So, this company has a free-hosting website and and a free-email address for their "president", and the photo looks like cardboard tubes wrapped with green camouflage tape. Hmmmm.

Comments

Do I smell a 'Homeland Security' scam here?

[Noryungi]

Let me see...

1. Vaporware, laptop-sized non-lethal stun weapon... check.
2. Free e-mail account for the CEO/President of the company... check.
3. Free web site for corporate web presence... check.

Yep, that's what I thought, another Homeland Security scam. Nothing to see here. Carry on.

Re:Do I smell a 'Homeland Security' scam here?

[malakai]

So you would rather a compay take the funds they got from a SBIR Phase I Award and spend it on marketing, web development, and domain managementment? That would make them _more_ offical in your eyes? Would that make them more efficent though?

The whole point of the Small Business Innovation Research awards is to give cash money to people in garages with Ideas. With the express purpose of them spending that money on the idea. Not the marketing, Systems Management, or anything else. Besides these people probably got less than 100k, you want them to put 10%-15% of that into a website?

Didn't you ever watch James Burke's Connections series? This is where the world-changing-inventions tend to come from. Sure you get crack pots and loonies, but it only takes one great one to outweight the cost of the useless paths.

Re:Do I smell a 'Homeland Security' scam here?

[AviLazar]

Lets see, how comfortable do we feel about giving a small startup company, out of a 'garage' a ton of money so they can do weapons grade research. Now while agree that companies like Lockhead Martin, Boeing, etc may not be as efficient as they can be - at least I feel happier knowing that it is based on a high security company that has many checks and balances AND high grade security - not some tom dick and harry working out of their basement. These guys should be working at a mil facility with security systems and people with M-16's, not in their garage.

Look at the uses they're citing -- chilling

[ianscot]

But the (smaller) gun fires a single shot with a range is limited to 7m, which makes it nearly useless for crowd control, especially in hotspots such as Iraq...

Yeah, I seem to remember a lot of situations in Iraq where there was a crowd rioting, and everything would have been better if only we'd had a stun gun to take them all out at once...

Oh, no, actually that really only applies from Saddam Hussein's POV. Take out your crowd of demonstrators, you know? The insurgency in Iraq has been made up largely of well-timed attacks against weak points. They're looking for the spots where we're not vigilant. If we knew where they'd be next, we could use a stun gun I guess... But we don't.

This is a weapon designed to use in case of protests or riots. What kinds of governments need this sort of weapon? The nearest thing to a potential use I can think of in the US would be the Rodney King verdict riots, maybe -- and would you want that? Would you want the LAPD to have this weapon?

Re:Look at the uses they're citing -- chilling

[copper]

From what I've read, many of the attackers use one of the tactics used in Somalia- use a woman or a child as a shield. As it stands now, in that situation the soldiers being attacked has two options- let himself get fired upon or return fire with the high likelihood of hitting the human shield.

Having a stun gun would give the soldier a much more attractive third option. Even if the human shield gets hit too, no permanent damage.

Repressive Govenments Rejoice!!

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

You now have a non-lethal means of effectivly silencing protest!

No longer will your govenment have to put up with protestors! Unruly tree-hugging anti-capitalists will stumble away even more confused than when they came in! But why stop there!

The mass tesla cannon(tm) can halt all kinds of protest! Even mass protestations against the president can be easily quashed in mid whine! Police forces can quickly and efficiently deal with dissenters without sparking media attendtion!

Coupled with new digital censorship, your government will now have the power to make sure the "Right" kind of society exists in your country!

Order today!

New Scientist only half scammed

[doodlelogic]

New Scientist refers to their original article of 24 May (print edition only) discussing the same subject. Rheinmetall is a serious player in the defence industry and their product, while still under development, looks like it may work.

For instance, the Plasma Taser (working title) being investigated at Rheinmetall W&M's center of competence for weapons and munitions in Unterlüß is said to immobilize aggressors at a distance of more than ten meters. A 40 mm grenade gun ejects a plasma cloud (e.g. carbon) that conducts pulsed electrical energy to the target - without actually physically harming the targeted person.

The vapourware company was presumably able to get its press release through the editorial board at New Scientist because they already knew that such products were out there, and the reporting is of the "look how soon they are getting it to market" variety.

My 2p's worth: Both proposals seem to have one flaw, at least for military application, for the same reason gas-based weapons have not been popular since the First World War: If the wind changes, the gas can blow back into your own trenches. I guess a quick-minded operator will switch off the current, but it seems risky.

Re:When copper wire is outlawed...

[aenigmainc]

Actually I would rather have this type of weapon at a check point than a gun that shoots bullets. I'd much rather shoot someone with a taser type of weapon and have them live than shoot them with an M16 and have them die. Having shot someone with an M16 let me tell you, its not a memory you like to have.

LAPD, Yes...

[Shivetya]

Sure, specifying legal limits to its use. Perhaps only by order of a judge.

Any non-lethal means given to the police to subdue a dangerous suspect or suspects should be available.

RIOTs are clearly one area where large scale non-lethal intrevention is warranted. It would not be a violation of Freedom of speech or similar non-sense arguments. If a large group is violently breaking the law then give the police a means to control them.

Whats worse, being stunned or gased? Hell I think stunning may be useful compared to water hoses and rubber bullets.

Its all about context.

Re:More Star Trek technology...

[Nyhm]

The web page calls this thing both a "phaser" and a "disruptor." They claim it's a molecular displacement attack (disruptor), but go on to say it works like a "phaser on stun." Does it use an phased energy amplification capacitance-and-release mechanism? Oh I don't think so. Where's my Star Trek technical manuals...

If they can't keep their terminology accurate, how can we take this seriously?

Re:Reminds me of...

[RichardX]

Your biggest worry is the lycos address?
Am I the only one who thinks a respectable company/research group would NOT call their technology "Xtreme" anything, let alone Xtreme Alternative Defense System To The Max Dude! (okay, I added the "To the max dude!" part, but it sounds like it should be there..)